Improvement in ice-velocipedes



v. A. MENUEZ. Ice-VelOcipede.

No. 201,265. Patented March I2, I878.

llilrzwaw. ,4 @MK 3 m 94 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT A. MENUEZ, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA. f

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-VELOCIPEDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 201,265 dated March 12, 1878; application filed February 11, 1871-5.

To all whom it'may concern:

Be it known that Lvnvonnr A. MENUEZ, of Michigan City, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable-others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referen ce m arked thereon, which form apart of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved ice-velocipede. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of an elevating and depressing device of the propelling-wheel. Fig. 3 is a detail view ofone of the pricks with which the propelling-wheel is provided to prevent its slipping upon the ice. Fig. 4: is a section through the seat and one of its supports.

My invention relates to vehicles moved on runners upon the ice by means of a propelling-w11ee1 turned by the hands of the operator.

The nature of my invention consists, first, in a frame supported by three rocking runners, two of which are in front, and have a propelling-wheel between them, and one of which is in the rear, and swings on a vertical pivot, for the purpose of steering the velocipede; second, in a device of two coupled double cranks, whereby the propelling-wheel is conveniently operated by hand; third, in a device for elevating and depressing the propellingwheel, whereby it is moved out of operation or into operation upon the ice; and, fourth, an adjustable seat, to suit the convenience of the operator.

In the drawings, A represents an oblong frame, and B a suitable seat, attached to its rear part by means of two pairs of united legs, b, having slots I) in their horizontal connections, and set-screws b passing through the seat and the slots, so that the seat B may be fastened at any convenient place upon its supports. 0 is aframe, transversely attached to the front part of the frame A, and extending beyond the sides of the same.

About the center of the frames A and C an upright yoke, D, is fastened to the frame A,

and its upper parts are braced to the extremities of the frame 0 by means of stiff rods 0.

The frame 0 is provided with slotted stands 6, into which steel runners E are inserted, and fastened by means of pivots e, in order to permit the runners to run smoothly over occasional uneven portions of the ice. The stands e and the lower ends of the braces c are fastened to the frame 0 by bolts or rivets c.

The rear runner E is pivoted at e to a stand, 0 similar to those previously described; but the stand has a vertical pivot, 6 fitted into the frame A, and provided with a lever, f, which is connected by means of rods f to two foot-levers, F F. The said foot-levers are pivoted at f 2 f to frame 0, and are of a curved shape, in order to prevent the operators feet from slipping 01f while he steers the vehicle with them.

The yoke D is provided with slots (1, through which the axle G of the wheel H passes, and in which it may occupy a higher or lower position, according to circumstances, hereinafter explained.

In practice, the axle G will be provided with suitable bearings, which are fitted into the slots (1.

At either side of the yoke D a crank, g, is attached to the shaft G, and the two cranks g are, by means of two connecting-rods, i, operated by two similar cranks, i, on a shaft, I. The shaft I is properly supported by a pair of stands, I, on the frame A, and the cranks i are provided with handles 1', to facilitate their operation by hand.

The periphery of the wheel H is provided with pricks h, which have shanks h and nuts k The shanks h are passed through the hoop and felly of the wheel, and fastened at the inher side of the felly by the nuts k thus serving the double'purpose of hoop-nails and propelling-pricks.

The yoke D is provided with fulcrum-arms j, whereby an elevating-lever, J, is supported, to the short arm of which two connectin g-rods, J, are attached. The lower ends of the connecting rods J contain bearings j for the wheel-axle G, and thus the wheel H may be elevated by depressing the free end of the lever J, while the wheel H is caused to descend by its own weight when the leverJ is left to itself.

Operation: After the seat B is adjusted, as

described, the operator occupies it, and places his feet upon the levers F. He then turns the handles 43 around, whereby the operatingwheel H is revolved upon the ice, and, by means of the pricks h, moves the vehicle along. If the course of the vehicle is to be changed, the operator moves the levers F with his feet, whereby the rear runner E is turned on its pivot 0 with the same effect upon the vehicle as the turning of the rudder has upon a ship.

\Vhen the vehicle is to be stopped, the operator stops the wheel H by checking the motion of the handles 6 When the operation of the wheel H is not desired, it is lifted from the surface of the ice by keeping the free end of the lever J down.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patcut is- 1. The combination of the frames A 0, having the two vertically-rocking front runners on opposite sides of the central propelling-wheel H, and a vertically -rocking and horizontallyswinging rear runner, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the described ice-velocipede, the combination of the wheel H, shaft G, having cranks g, connecting-rods i, and shaft I, having cranks i and handles 1, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In the described ice-velocipede, the combination of the yoke D, having slots d, the propelling-wheel H, having crank-shaft G, and the elevating-lever J, having connecting-rods J, substantially as set forth.

4. In the described ice-velocipede, the combination of the foot-levers F, the revolving handles 3 and the horizontallyadjustable seat B, whereby the operator may place him self in the most convenient position opposite the said foot-levers and handles, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

VINCENT A. MENUEZ;

Witnesses:

J. J. GRIFFITH, FRANK STULL. 

